St. James missed literally within inches from overcoming its largest point deficit ever, created primarily by four costly first half turnovers, but for the third consecutive year the Ashford running back team of Reginald Melton and Corderal Smith ran roughshod through and around the Trojan defense, as the Yellow Jackets were victors in their first ever visit to Carlisle Field in another exciting series game with potential controversy mixed in, by the score of 28 - 22.

Ashland began the game with several first downs on a drive to midfield.  However, on the only pass the Yellow Jackets would attempt the entire game, Ryan Love's toss was tipped and intercepted by Taylor Thompson at the Trojan 43 and returned to the Yellow Jacket 43 to give St. James excellent field position.  After a Jeremy Crider run for a first down and a Will Martin to Taylor Thompson pass for another, a Martin pass was intercepted by Jonathan Harris and returned nearly 40 yards before Martin made a saving tackle.  A 15 yard face mask penalty two plays later gave the Jackets a first down at the Trojan 35.  Several long runs by Trojan nemesis Reginald Melton moved the ball down to the 5 before a holding penalty negated a touchdown.  However, two plays later, Melton's runningmate, Corderal Smith, carried it in from the 11 for the first score of the game.  Shaun Lingo's extra point gave Ashford a 7 - 0 lead with less than 4 minutes remaining in the first quarter.

St. James was 3 and out on their next possession, and Ashford cashed in again on an 11 play 56 yard drive, with Melton carrying in from the 1.  Ashford executed a fake extra point two point conversion pass perfectly, with Love finding Smith for the two pointer, and the Jackets were up early in the second quarter by 15.

A fumble after a pass reception on the Trojans' second play of the next drive gave Ashford the ball on the St. James 25, and four Melton runs of 8, 11, -1, and 7 had the ball in the endzone a third time.  Lingo's extra point gave Ashford an overwhelming 22 point lead with more than half of the second quarter remaining.

An interception on the next scrimmage play gave Ashford another short field, but the Trojan defense forced a punt.  From their own 10, the Trojan offense kicked into gear.  Bruce Alter gained 40 on a catch and run over the middle, and Taylor Thompson receptions of 12 and 14 advanced the ball to the Ashford 24.  A Crider run picked up another first down, and a Jeff Cowden reception moved the ball as close as the 4 yard line.  However, the Jackets intercepted a pass on the next play in the endzone, St. James' fourth turnover of the first half, and returned it across midfield.  However, the return was negated in part by a clipping penalty.

With 77 seconds remaining in the half, Ashford was not satisfied with only a 22 point lead.  A Corderal run of 24 and a Melton run of 28 gave Ashford a first down at the St. James 23 with 7 seconds remaining.  A sack of quarterback Love appeared to have ended the half, but the referees ruled Ashford called a time out just before the clock expired, and a second was put back on.  The ball was handed off to Melton and he broke around right end and was forced out of bounds just short of the goal line.  However, Ashford carried all the momentum into the halftime locker room with their 22 - 0 lead.

The Trojans were determined to rebound in the third quarter, as they had in the Alabama Christian game.  A fine kickoff return was chopped in half by a holding penalty, and St. James started from their own 27.  A Martin scramble for 14, a Crider run for 2, and a Martin to Thompson pass for 19 yards moved the ball into Ashford territory.  After another 3 yard scramble by Martin, Crider took a pitch toward the near sidelines and escaped a tackler at the sidelines, racing down the sidelines for a 38 yard touchdown and the Trojans' first score.  St. James opted for a two point conversion, but the run failed.  However, St. James had cut the lead to two possessions worth.

Ashford was not prepared for the excellent onside kick by Graham Sutter, and Sutter recovered his own ball at the Ashford 49, keeping the Trojans on the offensive.  Eight plays later, St. James was in the endzone again.  Crider took the handoff into the endzone, this time from 3 yards out.  Sutter kicked the extra point, and the score was 22-13.  By now, the Trojans sideline and fan base were energized, and the defense as well, holding Ashford to a 3 and out on their first possession of the second half.  A short punt was dangerously fielded by Thompson at the Ashford 32, and St. James was in scoring range again.  Three defensive penalties on the drive moved the ball as close as the 2, where on fourth down Sutter was called on to kick a 19 yard field goal which he converted, and the seemingly insurmountable margin of 22 was cut to 6 with still 14 minutes remaining in the game.

After an endzone kickoff by Sutter, Ashford managed to pick up several first downs and run some clock.  However, another short punt gave St. James the ball at their own 34.  Three runs netted nine yards, and a crucial defensive encroachment penalty on fourth and 1 gave St. James a key first down at the 49.  The next play was of the perhaps "controversial nature" which has been a theme of the new Ashford-St. James series.  Will Martin found Bruce Alter wide open down the middle with a pass at the 20 yard line.  Ashford defenders caught up to him at the five, and tried to sling him down, but in the process slung him forward.  Alter appeared to have crossed the goal line with the ball for a go-ahead touchdown, but the ball came loose and was fallen on in the endzone by Ashford defenders, and a touchback was awarded.

Ashford ate up distance and clock, 80 yards and 6 plus minutes worth of the fourth quarter, on a touchdown drive.  Melton's 3 yard run was the final play in a lengthy 16 play drive for the touchdown.  The extra point was wide, but Ashford now had a 12 point lead at 28 - 16 with only 74 seconds remaining in the game.

The Trojans nevertheless failed to surrender.  Martin completed 6 passes on the drive, which benefited from a personal foul penalty as well.  The final play was an 11 yard pass from Martin to Taylor Thompson, jumping high among defenders for the touchdown catch.  Sutter's extra point was blocked, and the score remained 28 - 22.  However, the drive consumed all but 6 seconds of the remaining time, and all of the Trojan timeouts.  Ashford was prepared for the ensuing onside kick, and Corderal Smith, who finished with well over 100 yards rushing, recovered Sutter's attempt at the 49 yard line which sealed the region victory for the Yellow Jackets.

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GAME THREE SIDELINE STATISTICS

ST. JAMES      RUSHING   28 attempts  144 yards  2 TDs  (5.15 yards per carry)

                        10   Crider      14 / 83   (2 TDs)     3   Martin     11 / 54       22   Alter    3 /  7

                        PASSING   18 completions  25 attempts  3 INTs  221 yards  1 TD  (no sacks of)

                          3   Martin       18 - 26 - 3   221 yards  1 TD

                        RECEIVING

                        22   Alter          5 / 123                 2   Thompson        9 / 77   (1 TD)
                          5   Cowden     3 /  12                10   Crider              1 /   9

                        TOTAL YARDS:   367

                        KICKS:  XP  1 / 2                FG  1 / 1    (19 made)
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  0 / 1
                        KICKOFFS:  5  (58,11o,58,60EZ, 11o)        PUNTS:  1  (33)
                        KO RETURNS:  5  (10,21,15,15,28)            PUNT RETURNS:   2  (0fc,0)
                        FIRST DOWNS:   19    (7 rushing, 10 passing, 2 penalty)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  1  (14)
                        FUMBLES:  3, lost 2
                        TURNOVER MARGIN:   - 4
                        PENALTIES:  6 / 51 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  18:29

ASHFORD       RUSHING   65 attempts  334 yards   4 TDs  (5.14 yards per carry)
                        PASSING      0 completions  1 attempt  1 INT  0 yards  0 TDs  (1 sack of, - 4 yards)
                        TOTAL YARDS:  334

                        KICKS:  XP  1 / 2                FG  0 / 0
                        2 POINT CONVERSIONS:  1 / 1
                        KICKOFFS:  5 (45,47,42,38,52)                 PUNTS:  2  (32,23)
                        KO RETURNS:  3  (17,6,0)                       PUNT RETURNS:  1  (9)
                        FIRST DOWNS:  23   (21 rushing, 2 penalty)
                        INTERCEPTION RETURNS:  3  (40,0,36)
                        FUMBLES:  0
                        PENALTIES:  9 / 71 yards
                        TIME OF POSSESSION:  29:31

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